Cigar-bunch-forming machine.



1,1 33 ,847. E g; 14 l U 1 T. E. FEARON.

CIGAR BUNCH FORMING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED rmms, 1912.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

i i 39 2;](11) 1 (IDH 2 a g K 6'4- sa :4 /4 Q so' a I 1 U 5 n W W l2 WITNESSES THE NORRIS PETERS 60.. FHOm-L!THO.. WASHINGTON. D. c."

T. E. FEARON.

CIGAR BUNCH FORMING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.28, 19x2.

1,1 38,847 Patented Mar. 30, 1915.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

W FINES i n i igg gi W41 BY HIS AZTTORNEY 6 #wA/Dfin/ 1 1 HIE NORRIS PETERS c0, PHOTDVLITHOY, WASH/NG7ON. u. c.

T. E. PEARON.

CIGAR BUNCH FORMING MACHINE.

APPLIGATION FILED FBB.28, 1912.

1,133,847. Patented Mar.30,1915.

w 5 SEEBTS-SHEET 3.

INVENTOR THOMAS E. FEARON BY HIS ATTORNEY wrrNEss'Es THE NORRIS PETERS 60.. PHOTO-LITHDU WASHINGTON, Dv c T. B. FEARON. 01m BUNCH FORMING MACHINE.

APPLIGATION FILED IEB.28, 1912.

Patented Mar. 30, 1915.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

, WITNESSES INVENTOR THOMAS E.-

FEARON 11:5 NORRIS PETERS 60.. PHOTO-LITHQ, WASHINGTON, D. c.

T. E. PEARON.

GIGAR BUNGH FORMING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED IEB.28, 1912.

Patented Mar. 30, 1915.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

INVENTOR THOMAS E. FEARON WITNESS ES M/J'M (if mum BY HIS ATTORNEY THE NORRIS PETERS 6 PHOT0-L!THO.. WASHINGTON. D. C.

THOMAS E. FEARON, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

CIGAR-BUNCH-FORMING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 30, 1915.

Application filed February 28, 1912. Serial No. 680,548.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS E. FEARON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented certain Improvements in Cigar-Bunch- Forming Machines, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide an efficient machine for measuring, forming, rolling and binding the mass or bunch of tobacco intended for the production of a cigar, an object which I attain in the manner hereinafter set forth, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a front view of the machine constructed in accordance with my invention; Fig. 2 is a side view of the same looking in the direction of the arrow :0, Fig.1, and with the driving pulleys removed; Fig. 3 is a side view of the machine looking in the direction of the arrow '2, Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a view of the machine partly in side elevation and partly in central longitudinal section; Figs. 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 are sectional views showing, in difierent positions, the parts for measuring and forming the mass or bunch of tobacco and feeding the same to the apron whereby it is rolled and the binder is applied thereto; Figs. 10, 11, 12 and 13 are views, on an enlarged scale, of certain mechanism for regulating the operation of a cer tain segregator forming part of the machine, and Fig. 14 is a front view of the lower portion of the hopper and of a certain valve or gate cooperating therewith.

The machine has a supporting framework 1 upon which is mounted a table 2, the latter having at one end a raised block or pad 3 upon which rests the forward portion of a belt or apron 4 whereby the rolling and binding of the mass or bunch of tobacco is eflected, the rear end of said apron passing over rollers 5 on a slide 6, thence around a roller 7 on the table 1 and thence to a coiled spring 8 having an adjustable connection 9 with a lug 10 on the table whereby the tension of said spring and consequently of the apron 4 in its action upon the bunch of to bacco and binder in rolling the same can be readily regulated, the pressure of the apron being always a yielding pressure and therefore simulating the action of the fingers in hand rolling. In effecting this operation the leaf of tobacco which is to constitute the binder is laid upon the upper surface of the apron and the bunch of tobacco is deposited upon that portion of said binder which occupies a pocket in the apron some distance in advance of the rear end of the latter and the slide 6 is then moved forward so as to close said pocket and wrap the rear end of the binder around the bunch, the continued forward movement of the slide causing the bight of the apron which contains the bunch and the rear end of the binder to travel forwardly and thereby roll the bunch and wrap the binder around it, the bound bunch being finally deposited in a spring clip 11 at the forward end of the table and the slide 6 being then retracted so as to spread the apron for the reception of another bunch and binder. This operation and the mechanism for performing the same broadly considered are old and the only novel features in connection with the same which I have devised are the spring tension on the apron for simulating the human touch, and the mechanism for operating the slide 6 so as to cause a reversal in the movement of the same after it has started forwardly, thereby causing a slight back roll of the bunch and binder after the beginning of the forward roll of the same in order to imitate as closely as possible the ordinary operation of hand rolling. This operation of the slide is effected by means of a cam 12 on a shaft 13 which is driven from the main shaft 14 of the machine by means of a chain belt 15 and pulleys l6 and 17 or in any other available manner, said cam 12 having a groove for receiving an anti-friction roller on a lever 18 which is connected by a link 19 to the slide 6, as shown in Fig. 4.

The groove of the cam 12 has a dwell portion 20, advancing portions 21 and 22, retracting portions 28 and 24 and a dwell portion 25 which operate upon the lever 18 as follows: The dwell portion 20 retains the slide 6 for a considerable time at the limit of its rearward movement while the bunch of tobacco is being measured, formed and applied to the binder 1, on the apron 4. The portion 21 then projects the slide so as to close the belt around the bunch and binder and start the forward roll of the same. The

retracting portion 28 then withdraws the the apron for the receptionof another bunch and binder. v

The mechanism for measuring and forming the bunch of tobacco and applyingthe' same to the binder upon the upper surface of the apron is located above the table 2 and is as follows: The supply of tobacco is con- 7 tained in a hopper 26 and I may say at this point that my machine is intended primarily for the manufacture ofthat class of cigars in which the bunch is formed of relatively short pieces oftobacco instead of the long filler tobacco of which the bunches intended for the more expensive class of cigars are composed, although some of the features of my invention are applicable as well to the manufacture of cigars of the latter class.

v The hopper 26 has at its lower end a bottom opening 27 and a grated front opening 28,

said bottom opening being normally closed by a horizontally movable slide 29 and the front opening being normally closed by a vertically movable valve or gate 30, movements of horizontal reciprocation being imparted to the slide 29 by means of a. grooved cam 31 on the driving shaft 14, acting upon an anti-friction roller on a lever 32, which is connected by a link 33 to the slide 29 as shown in Fig. 4E, and vertical movement at the appropriate intervals being imparted'to the valve or gate 30 by means of a crank pin 34 on a cam disk 35 carried by the shaft 1ft, said crank pin acting upon one arm of a three-armed lever 36, another arm of which is mounted upon a rock shaft 37 passing transversely through the hopper 26, the third arm of the lever being forked, as shown at 38 in Fig. 2, for engagement with a pin 39 on a plate 10 secured to the back of the valve or gate 30, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4. As shown in the drawing, a lever 36 and the operating mechanism therefor are located on each side of the machine but the use of but one of these levers may, in some cases, be suflicient. The rock shaft 37 at a point about midway transversely of the hopper 26 is provided with a cam 41 (Fig. 4L) which acts upon a pivoted plate 4 2 at the back of the hopper and as said shaft 37 rocks by reason of its connection with the lever 36 said cam acts upon' the plate 42 so at the low point a mass of tobacco to be acted upon by the segregating and extracting device, whereby the successive masses or bunches of tobacco are removed from the hopper. V p y Secured to or forming part of the slide 29 is a receiver' 13 whose back and side walls are fixed but whose front wall consists of a pivoted flap 1 1 mounted at its upper end upon a rock shaft 45, free to turn in bearings on the frame of the slide 29. This flap is normally held in the closedposition shown in Figs 5-and 6 by the action of springs 46 coiled around the ends of the rock shaft 15, as shown in Fig. 1. At one end of the rock shaft 15, however, is a tappet 47 (Fig. 3) which, as theslide is moved outwardly, is engaged by a toe 18 at the other end of a bar 49,1nountedon one of the side frames of the machine so as to be longitudinally adjustable thereon, and thereby determine at what point in the outward movement of the slide 29 the tappet 17 will be engaged by the toe 48 so as to turn the rock shaft 45 and swing the flap 4% to the open position shownin Figs. at, 7, 8 and 9. Also mounted upon the frame of the slide 29 is a rock shaft 50 which carries a series of projecting fingers 51 and is acted upon at each end by coiled springs 52 (Figs. 1 and 2) whose tendency is to move the rock shaft so as to cause said fingers to swing forwardly and downwardly as indicated by the arrow 20 in Fig. 4:. At one end of the rock shaft 50, however, is an arm 53, which, as the slide 29 is moved outwardly, is acted upon by a lug 54 (Fig. 12)

secured to or forming part of a projection 55 on one ofthe side frames of the machine, the effect of such action being to swing the arm 53 rearwardly, as shown in Fig. 13, and to raise the fingers 51 to an approximately vertical position. As the slide 29 moves inwardly, however, the arm 53 passes from under the influence of the lug 54 and, owing to the action of the springs 52 on the rock shaft 50, is caused to descend until atoe 56 on the arm rests upon a supporting table at the side of the machine, and thus determines the forward angle or pitch of the arms 51 as shown in Fig. 10. The supporting table comprises a fixed member 57 and a trip member 58, as shown in Figs. 10 to 13 and the fingers 51 retain their forward pitch until the toe 56 leaves the inner end of the table ,57 and permits the fingers 51 to further descend to the position shown in Figs. 11 and 12, the toe 56 being now beneath the table 57 as shownin Fig. 11, and occupying this position as the slide 29 again moves for wardly. Before the slide reaches the limit of its forward movement, however, the lug 54: again strikes the arm 53 and swings the same rearwardly and upwardly, the toe 56 'then acting upon the trip member 58 of the table and lifting the same, as shown in Fig.

13, until it finally clears the toe and drops again to its normal position, as shown in Fig. 2. As the slide 29 moves rearwardly the fingers 51 pass through the slots in the grated opening 28 in the front of the hopper, as shown in Fig. 5, and penetrates the mass of tobacco in the lower portion of the hopper so as to segregate the same from the mass above it and, as soon as the toe 56 on the arm 53 leaves the inner end of the table 57, the fingers are depressed by the action of the springs 52 so as to force the mass of tobacco ahead of them down into the receiver 43 and open the flap 44 which has been previously moved to the closed position shown in Figs. 5 and 6 by the action of the springs 46. The slide 29 now moved forwardly carrying with it the mass of tobacco in the receiver 43 and closing the bottom opening of the hopper 26 and, at the same time the valve 31 is depressed so as to close the grated opening 28. It will be noted that the bottom of the valve 30 presents a uniform edge so that if any particles of tobacco project through the grated opening 28 they will be severed by reason of such uniform edge when the valve 30 descends.

It will be evident that the amount of tobacco segregated from the mass in the hopper and pushed therefrom into the receiver 43 will depend upon the forward pitch or angle of the fingers 51 as they enter the hopper through the grated opening 28, and in order that such pitch may readily be varied to accord with the desired bulk of the bunch to be removed from the hopper at each oper ation of the machine I mount the table member 57 on the frame of the machine so that it is adjustable vertically and is thus adapted to contact with the toe 56 and arrest the downward swing of the arm 53 and consequently the downward and forward swing of the fingers 51 at any desired point. Any desired means for accomplishing this adjustable mounting of the table member 57 may be adopted, for instance as shown in the drawing, the side flange of the table may be slotted vertically for the reception of the set screws whereby it is secured to the frame of the machine.

Suitably guided upon vertical rods 60 at each side of the machine is a chute 61 having fixed back and sides but having its front composed in. part of a pivoted flap 62 mount ed at its upper end upon a rock shaft 63 which is acted upon by coiled springs 64 (Figs. 1 and 2) tending to move the flap inwardly to the position shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 7, the rear side of the chute being flared outwardly at the top so as to form a rearwardly extending hopper 65. Vertical movement'at suitable intervals is imparted to the chute 61 by means of a cam 66 on the shaft 14, said cam being shown by dotted lines in Fig. 4 and acting upon an anti-friction roller on a bent lever 67 which is forked at it forward end for engagement with a pin 68 on a guided frame 69 at the side of the chute 61. As shown in the drawing, the mechanism for raising and lowering the chute 61 is duplicated, one set of such mechanism being disposed at each side of the chute but such duplication is not considered essential.

In suitable bearings 70 on the front of the hopper 26 is vertically guided a shaft 71 which carries at its lower end a plunger 72, this shaft having a cross head 73 which is connected at each end by a link 74 to one arm of a lever 75, pivotally mounted upon the side of the hopper, the other arm of said lever being connected by a link 7 6 to a lever 77 which is acted upon by the cam disk 35 on the shaft 14 as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, vertical reciprocating movement being thereby imparted to the plunger 72 at appropriate intervals.

The operation of the machine is as follows: At the beginning of the operation the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 4, the slide 29 being at the limit of its forward movement so as to close the bottom of the hopper 26, the valve or gate 30 being depressed so as to close the grated opening in the front of the hopper, the fingers 51 being elevated, the flap 44 and the receiver 43 being open, the chute 61 being elevated so as to approach closely to the bottom of the receiver 43 and the flap 62 being closed. As the slide 29 is moved rearwardly so as to uncover the bottom opening of the hopper the gate 30 is raised, the receiver 43 is closed and the fingers 51 swing downwardly to the desired extent and pass through the slots in the grated opening 28 in the front of the hopper so as to segregate the mass of tobacco within the lower portion of the latter from the mass above it, as shown in Fig. By the time the slide 29 has completed its rearward movement the toe 56 of the arm 53 has left the rear end of the table 57 thereby permitting the fingers 51 to be forced downwardly to a point below the bottom of the hopper, as shown in Fig. 6, the fingers carrying with them the mass of tobacco in advance of them and confining said mass of tobacco in the receiver 43 between said fingers and the flap 44. The slide 29 now moves forwardly so as to close the opening in the bottom of the hopper and at this time or previously the opening 28 at the front of the hopper is also closed by the descent of the gate 30. As the receiver 43 moves forwardly the flap 44 opens and permits the mass of tobacco contained in the receiver to drop into the chute 61, as shown in Fig. 7, the mass of tobacco being supported in the upper portion of the chute by the closed flap 62. Any tobacco which may escape from the receiver 43 before the same arrives in line with the chute 61 is caught in the rearwardly projecting hopper and the loss ofany of the tobacco is thereby prevented. Before the rear wall of the receiver l3 passes beyond the grated opening 28 of the hopper the fingers 51 are raised to the position shown in Fig. 7 and the valve 30 is lowered so that its knife edge shears off any tobacco which may have projected through the grated opening 28 and deposits such sheared pieces in the chute 62. By the time the slide reaches the limit of its forward movement, as shown in Fig. 7, the fingers 51 have been fully raised so as to be out of the way of the plunger 72 which is now depressed so as to pass through the receiver 43 and act upon the mass of tobacco in the upper portion of the chute 61. Said chute 61 now descends with the plunger but such descent is arrested some time before the plunger reaches the limit of its downward movement,'the final action of the plunger being to open the flap 62 of the chute and thrust the mass oftobacco out through the bottom of the chute and onto the binder 3 lying upon the upper surface of the apron 4, as shown in Fig. 8, the chute then rising while the plunger still retains the mass of tobacco in position on the binder, as shown in Fig. 9, and the final action being the lifting of the plunger so as to free the mass of tobacco and permit of the forward movement of the apron for the performance of the rolling action hereinbefore described.

1. A cigar bunch forming machine in which are combined an apron having a pocket for receiving and rolling the bunch of tobacco, means for imparting forward movement to said pocket, and means for reversing said forward movement at an intermediate point so as to cause the back rolling of the bunch.

2. The combination, in a cigar bunch forming machine, of a hopper having an opening in one side of the same adjacent to the bottom of the hopper, and a segregator for entering the mass of tobacco through the side opening of the hopper and separating the lower portion of the mass of tobacco from the superincumbent portion.

3. The combination, in a cigar bunch.

forming machine, of a hopper having an opening in one side of the same adjacent to the bottom of the hopper, a segregator for entering the mass of tobacco through the side opening of the hopper and separating the lower portion of said mass of tobacco from the superincumbent portion, and means for adjusting the position of said segregator so as to vary the amount of tobacco which it separates from the mass.

4. The combination, in a cigar bunch forming machine, of a hopper for the tobacco, said hopper having a side opening therein adjacent to the bottom of the hopper, a receiver for a segregated mass of the tobacco, :a segregator for entering the mass of'tobacco at the lower portion of the hopper through the side opening in said hopper and thereby separate the tobacco in the lower portion of the hopper from the superincumbent mass, and means for swinging said segregator so as to cause it to push the segregated mass of tobacco out of the hopper and into the receiver.

5. The combination, in acigar bunch forming machine, of a hopper for the tobacco, a receiver for the bunch, a segregator and means for actuating the latter whereby it is caused to enter the mass of tobacco at the lower portion of the hopper, separate the same from the superincumbent mass and push the separated jmass out of the hop per into the reveiver, said receiver having a yielding member which permits discharge of the mass of tobacco from the receiver.

6. The combination, in a cigar bunch forming machine, of a hopper having a grated opening in the front of the same,

and a fingered segregator for passing through said grated opening, entering the mass of tobacco in the lower portion of the hopper, and separating the same from the superincumbent mass.

7. The combination, in a cigar bunch forming machine, of a hopper having an opening in the front of the same, a segregator passing through said opening and entering the mass of tobacco at the lower portion of the hopper so-as to separate the same from'the superincumbent mass, and a valve for closing said opening after the segregator has passed through the same.

8. The combination, in a cigar bunch forming machine, of a hopper having an opening in the front of the same, a segregator passing through said opening and entering the mass of tobacco at the lower portion ofthe hopper so as to separate the same from the superincumbent mass, and a valve for closing said opening after the segregator has passed through the same, said valve havinga knife edged bottom whereby it will shear off any tobacco passing through the opening.

9. A cigar bunch forming machine in which are combined a hopper for the mass of tobacco, said hopper having bottom and front openings at its lower end, a segregator operating through the front opening and serving to separate a mass of tobacco at the bottom of the hopper from the superincumbent mass and ejecting said mass through the bottom opening of the hopper, and means for uncovering the front opening of the hopper for the passage of the segregator and then closing said opening.

10. The combination, in a cigar bunch forming machine, ofahopper having a delivery opening at the bottom, a receiver movable into and out of registry with said opening, and receiving the supply of tobacco from the hopper, a chute below said receiver, a swinging valve in the receiver which serves when in one position to support the mass of tobacco in said receiver and when in the other position to deliver said mass into the chute, means for permitting the discharge of the tobacco from the chute, and a plunger operating through said receiver and chute.

11. The combination, in a cigar bunch forming machine, of a hopper having de livery opening at the bottom, a receiver movable into and out of registry with said opening and receiving the supply of tobacco from the hopper, a chute below said receiver, means for delivering the tobacco from the receiver into the chute, a swinging valve in said chute which when in one position supports the mass of tobacco therein and when in the other position permits discharge of the tobacco from the chute, a plunger operating through said receiver and chute, and means for moving the chute vertically in respect to the plunger.

12. The combination, in a cigar bunch forming machine, of segregating fingers for separating a mass of tobacco at the lower end of the hopper from the superincumbent mass, means for causing said fingers to be thrust into the mass, means for retaining said fingers rigidly in position during such thrust, and means for swinging the fingers downwardly so as to cause them to eject the mass of tobacco in advance of the same from the hopper.

13. The combination, in a cigar bunch forming machine, of segregating fingers for separating the mass of tobacco at the lower end of the hopper from the superincumbent mass, means for causing said fingers to be thrust into the mass, means for retaining said fingers rigidly in position during such thrust, means for varying the angle at which the fingers are held in such rigid position, and means for swinging the fingers downwardly so as to cause them to eject the mass of tobacco in advance of the same from the hopper.

14. The combination, in a cigar bunch forming machine, of segregating fingers for separating a mass of tobacco at the lower end of the hopper from the superincumbent mass, means for causing said fingers to be thrust into the mass, means for retaining said fingers rigidly in position during such thrust, and yielding or elastic means for swinging the fingers downwardly so as to cause them to eject the mass of tobacco in advance of the same from the hopper.

15. The combination, in a cigar bunch forming machine, of a hopper for the tobacco, a swinging segregator for separating a mass of tobacco at the lower end of the hopper from the superincumbent mass, means for thrusting said segregator into the mass of tobacco, a rock shaft carrying said segregator, an arm on said rock shaft, and a support for said arm while the segregator is being thrust into the mass of tobacco which support is removed at the conclusion of the thrusting operation so as to permit of the swinging movement of the segregator and the ejection of the mass of tobacco in advance of the same from the hopper.

16. The combination, in a cigar bunch forming machine, of the hopper for the tobacco, a segregator for separating a bunch of tobacco at the lower end of the hopper from the superincumbent mass, and ejecting said bunch from the hopper, a rock shaft carrying said segregator, a reciprocating frame carrying said rock shaft, an arm on the rock shaft, a lug for engaging said arm and swinging it in one direction when the frame approaches the limit of its movement in one direction, and a support for the arm while said frame is swinging forwardly.

17. The combination, in a cigar bunch forming machine, of a hopper for the tobacco, a segregator for separating a bunch of tobacco at the lower end of the hopper from the superincumbent mass, and ejecting said bunch from the hopper, a rock shaft carrying said segregator, a reciprocating frame carrying said rock shaft, an arm on the rock shaft, a lug for engaging said arm and swinging it in one direction when the frame approaches the limit of its movement in one direction, a support for the arm while said frame is swinging forwardly, and means for vertically adjusting said support.

18. The combination, in a cigar bunch forming machine, of a hopper for the tobacco, a segregator, for separating a bunch of tobacco in the lower portion of the hopper from the superincumbent mass and ejecting such bunch from the hopper, a rock shaft carrying said segregator, a reciprocating frame carrying said rock shaft, an arm on said frame having a projecting toe thereon, means for lifting the arm as the frame approaches the limit of its outward movement, and a table for supporting the toe on the arm during the backward travel of the frame, said arm dropping below the table when the frame has reached the limit of its backward movement and traveling below the table during the next forward movement.

19. The combination, in a cigar bunch forming machine, of a hopper for the tobacco, a segregator for separating a bunch of tobacco in the lower portion of the hopper from the superincumbent mass and ejecting such bunch from the hopper, a rock shaft carrying said segregator, a reciprocating frame carrying said rock shaft, an arm on said frame having a projecting toe thereon, means for lifting the arm as the frame approachesth'e limit of its outward movement, and a table for supporting the toe on the arm during the backward travelof the frame, saidarm dropping below the table when the frame has reached the limit of its backward movement and traveling below the table during the next forward movement, and said table having a trip member which is-lifted by the toe on the arm when the-latter is-raised at the- -termination of the 10 forwardv movement of the frame.

In" testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing; witnesses.

THOMAS E. FEARON'.

Witnesses:

KATE A. BEADLE, HAMm'roNi D. TURNER.

Copies 0t this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,v

WashingtomD. G. 

